Hardik Pandya had picked 10 wickets from the last three editions of the Indian Premier League. But in this season, so far, he has scalped 14 wickets from nine games. The all-rounder has found such a good rhythm, especially with his bowling, that his spell of three for 19 on the back of a valuable innings earlier in the evening also saw the younger of the Pandya brothers topping the wicket-takers' list for the season.
Despite his consistent bowling performances, it was Hardik's batting woes early on in the season that was a cause of concern for Mumbai Indians. In fact, head coach Mahela Jayawardene had also mentioned the need for a talent like Hardik to avoid being stagnated as a batsman after MI's last home game. Since then, however, Pandya has looked like a different batsman.
Read: Mumbai Indians stays afloat with all-round win
According to Hardik, the roots of the turnaround lay in not over-thinking about the game. “I am not doing anything. It is just that someday it comes. I have stopped practising. I am someone who thinks differently. I am actually just being positive from my mind,” he said.
“It's all about one hit to be honest. You score one six all of a sudden the momentum... everything changes. Obviously if people bowl well they are also here to play the game. And they are also one of the best bowlers, if they bowl I have respect and I can't do anything. No one can do anything. I don't think that much. But in few games I thought about this thing... my games is something that I am positive from my mind and it comes off.”
Karthik takes his chances
Dinesh Karthik, the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders, has defended his decision to turn down a single in the penultimate over despite the target nearly getting out of hands. “I thought I could take on (Jasprit) Bumrah, hit him for a couple of sixes and backed myself to get 20 in the last over sometimes it does not go your way. Still got 14 runs off that over. He got a good bounce and credit to Bumrah he bowled well.”
Comments
SHARE